Communities around the north country prepare to celebrate Memorial Day

At several events planned for Memorial Day weekend, communities and veterans groups across the region will honor the lives of military members who have died while serving.

In Watertown, the Army & Navy American Legion Post 61 will hold a ceremony at its facility, 138 Sterling St, at 10 a.m. Immediately after the ceremony, the group will go to Glenwood Cemetery for another ceremony. The VFW Barben-Jones Post 1400 will hold a ceremony at 9 a.m. at the post, 231 Bellew Ave., then hold a ceremony in front of the county building at 10 a.m.

Throughout the southern part of Jefferson County, the Don Rounds American Legion Post 586 and South Jefferson VFW Post 5344, both in Adams, will take part in a collection of parades and small ceremonies Monday.

Its a day to say thanks to the men and women who have gave their lives for their country, said Stephen E. Benny, the VFW posts commander.

The group will start the proceedings with a ceremony a 9 a.m. in the park at Pierrepont Manor before taking part in a parade in Henderson at 10 a.m. The group then will take part in a ceremony in Rodman at 11:45 a.m., then they will go to a 12:30 p.m. parade in Adams, starting at at the American Legion post, South Main Street.

In Lowville, a rededication ceremony will take place Monday for the recently repaired Soldiers and Sailors Monument in the Village Green. The statues return comes after a 12-year fundraising effort and a yearlong restoration project. Festivities in the village will begin with a parade starting at 10 a.m. at Nortz & Virkler on South State Street, leading into the ceremony.

The contents of a 130-year-old time capsule will be displayed at the Lewis County Historical Society, 7552 S. State St. after the ceremony.

Festivities in Ogdensburg will begin at 7:30 a.m. Monday with a wreath-laying ceremony on the St. Lawrence River.

At 9 a.m. Cindy Berry, the wife of late Vietnam veteran Hal Berry, will dedicate a bench at the Vietnam Memorial Monument, located along the perimeter of the Ogdensburg Mall. A parade will begin from Library Park at 10 a.m. and travel to the Ogdensburgh Cemetery, where a wreath laying ceremony will be held.

Other events scheduled through the weekend are:

n Theresa will host a memorial service Sunday at 1 p.m. and a parade at 3 p.m.

n Deferiet will hold a parade starting at 10 a.m. Sunday

n Hermon will have a parade starting at 10:30 a.m. Sunday starting at its post office, 88 Main St.

n Sackets Harbor will hold a memorial ceremony at 8 a.m. Monday, followed by a parade at 10:30 a.m. and other events through the afternoon.

n Morristown will host a service at 10 a.m. Monday at Chapman Park.

n The Beaver River American Legion Memorial Post 1663 ceremonial firing squad will hold ceremonies on Monday at cemeteries including Croghan, Belfort, Indian River, Beaver Falls, Naumberg, Castorland and New Bremen. Ceremonies also will be conducted at the Patty Street Cemetery in New Bremen at 10 a.m., followed by a parade.

n Parades also will be held in Carthage, Copenhagen and Felts Mills at 10 a.m. Monday. Evans Mills will hold its parade at 11 a.m. Monday.

n A parade will take place in Lisbon starting at 6 p.m. Monday going from Lisbon Central School to the American Legion.